Iran Utilizes Under 5% of Defensive Capabilities Against Israel; Full Potential Remains Unrevealed: Senior Commander
A high-ranking Iranian military official emphasized that the Islamic Republic utilized less than five percent of its defensive capabilities in response to the recent unprovoked conflict initiated by Israel.
Brigadier General Mohammad-Reza Naghdi, serving as the deputy commander for coordination of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), delivered his remarks during a televised interview on Saturday.
He noted that during the counterstrikes by the Islamic Republic against the regime, less than five percent of the nation’s defensive capacity was actually deployed.
An official clarified, “When I say ‘activated,’ it doesn’t mean ‘spent.’ It simply indicates that five percent of our defense units have been actively engaged with the adversary.”
He emphasized that the core capabilities remain intact, stating, “The full extent of our forces is still to be unveiled, as they have not yet taken the stage.”
The Israeli government initiated military operations on June 13, leading to a significant counteraction from the Islamic Republic. This response included the deployment of numerous ballistic missiles, some of which were hypersonic, targeting key nuclear, military, and industrial sites within the occupied Palestinian territories.
In the wake of the retaliation, a surge of videos emerged online, vividly depicting the extensive destruction wrought on targets, including the airbases from which the regime had launched its attacks.
Military experts, as reported by various Western media outlets, have highlighted that in addition to deploying its comprehensive missile arsenal, the regime has received unwavering backing from the United States, Tel Aviv’s principal ally, in its efforts to mitigate the impact of the Iranian retaliation.
Experts report that the United States deployed at least two out of its seven highly publicized THAAD missile defense systems around the world to mitigate Iranian retaliatory actions during the 12-day conflict.
According to reports, the support operations have resulted in expenses exceeding $800 million for Washington.
**Iran Capable of Sustained Engagement Against Adversaries for Several Years**
According to Naghdi, although the retaliation primarily utilized the Islamic Republic’s air defense capabilities, the true strength of the nation’s armed forces lies predominantly in its ground forces.
He stated that they are fully prepared for prolonged combat, suggesting that they could continue to launch missile strikes at the current pace against the adversary for several years.
